LOGINI receive news of my husband being hospitalized after accidentally eating mushrooms causing hallucinations. I ignore the pain in my sprained ankle and limp to the hospital. When I enter the hospital ward, my husband sidesteps me. Instead, he excitedly throws his arms around the young woman behind me. "You're finally here, honey! I missed you so much!" The young woman gives me a challenging look. Then, she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him, her face red. They cling to each other and act all lovey-dovey like there's no one with them. After a while, my husband seems to realize I'm there. He scratches his head in embarrassment, looking like a young man who's just fallen in love. "Mom has done a good job in maintaining her appearance, honey. She doesn't look like she's 50 at all."
View MoreKutatap tubuh molek dengan balutan pakaian tipis didepanku tanpa berkedip. Sudah sepuluh bulan ini, saat bersamanya aku selalu tak pernah bisa berkutik. Selama itu pula sama sekali tak kurasakan bosan kala memandanginya.
Dewi Ayuni namanya. Meski mungkin bagi sebagian orang nama itu terlalu biasa, tapi bagiku dia benar-benar seperti sesosok dewi yang turun dari langit untuk memberiku kebahagiaan. Dia sungguh ayu dan mempesona. Sangat berbeda jauh dengan Aruna yang kini tubuhnya bertambah gendut dan makin membuatku tak berselera."Mas, ponselnya bunyi tuh. Pasti istrimu deh. Nyebelin banget, gangguin aja," katanya dengan muka cemberut sambil mencelos tak mau menatapku lagi.Kuraih ponsel yang sudah kuletakkan di atas nakas sejak kedatanganku di apartemen dengan malas. Dari nama yang tertera di layar sudah terlihat bahwa Aruna yang sedang menelponku. Malas sekali rasanya untuk menerima panggilan itu. Paling-paling istriku itu cuma mau nitip dibeliin ini itu saat aku pulang nanti. Calon anak kami lah yang selalu dia jadikan alasan untuk merengek tiap hari."Ah, merepotkan," gerutuku."Nggak diangkat dulu?" Dewi masih cemberut saat kembali kudekati. Sepertinya dia ngambek karena kesenangan kami harus terhenti akibat bunyi telepon dari Aruna. Salahku juga tidak mengatur senyap dulu ponsel sebelum melancarkan aksiku bersamanya."Udah aku matiin HPnya, jangan marah. Maaf ya, aku lupa senyapin tadi. Ayo dong, Sayang," bujukku."Mas nih kebiasaan deh." Dewi pun langsung membalikkan badan dengan pipi bersemu merah usai mendengar penjelasanku.Beberapa menit kemudian, kami pun sudah larut dalam hasrat membara lagi.*****Tepat pukul 5 sore kuputuskan untuk segera meninggalkan apartemen yang telah kusewa selama beberapa bulan ini untuk ditempati Dewi.Langkahku sedikit tergesa melewati lobby menuju ke area parkir. Tentu saja aku takut ada seseorang yang kukenal melihatku berada di tempat ini.Sesampainya di basement, aku bermaksud langsung melajukan mobil sportku saat tiba-tiba teringat sesuatu. Aku lupa belum menyalakan ponselku lagi. Kemudian dengan sigap kuraih benda pipih itu dan mulai memencet tombol powernya.Sesaat setelah ponsel itu menyala, rentetan bunyi notifikasi segera terdengar tanpa henti."Apa apaan sih Aruna ini? Rewel banget,' umpatku dalam hati.Belum sempat kuperiksa rangkaian notifikasi itu, tiba-tiba nada panggilan berbunyi. Ada nama adik perempuanku terpampang di layar."Halo Ras, kenapa?" sahutku cepat setelah menggeser icon telepon berwarna hijau."Mas Tama, ya Allah Maaas, Kamu lagi dimana sih? Susah sekali dihubungi," ujarnya dengan nada panik.Tak sedikit pun curiga dengan kepanikan itu, aku malah mengomelinya. "Jam segini kok nanya dimana? Ya di kantor lah. Dimana lagi memangnya?""Di kantor mana, Mas? Jangan bohong deh. Aku udah telepon ke kantormu tadi dan katanya Mas Tama udah keluar dari jam 2.""Aduh, si*l! Ngapain sih Laras pake nelpon ke kantor segala? Memangnya ada masalah penting apa?" batinku menyembunyikan kejengkelan"Iyaa, maksudku … aku tadi ada tugas luar. Makanya nggak di kantor. Memangnya kenapa sih, Ras?""Mas ini keterlaluan banget. Udah tahu istrinya lagi hamil, HPnya malah dimatiin." Kali ini dia ganti mengomel. Kudengar nada amarah dalam kalimatnya. Adik semata wayangku itu memang terkenal sangat galak sejak dulu. "Tadi aku telpon bolak balik pake HPnya Mbak Runa lho. Nggak diangkat juga. Terlalu kamu, Mas!" lanjutnya."Sebentar to, Ras. Ini ada apa sih sebenarnya? Kenapa malah jadi ngomel-ngomel nggak jelas gitu? Memangnya mbakyumu kenapa?""Mbak Runa masuk rumah sakit, Mas. Tadi dia kepeleset dan jatuh di kamar mandi. Sampai pendarahan lho. Sekarang ini kita semua lagi ada di rumah sakit, eh kamu malah nggak jelas dimana. Mana susah banget dihubungi."Aku tak terlalu mendengarkan lagi kalimat Laras selanjutnya. Mendengar Runa di bawa ke rumah sakit, pikiranku langsung melayang pada bayi kami."Apa?! Kamu jangan bercanda deh, Ras!" kataku sedikit menghardiknya."Ngapain sih Mas hal kayak gini dibecandain? Buruan ke sini. Mbak Runa masih belum sadar."Aku baru merasa panik saat kudengar nada suara adikku itu melunak. "Ya udah, aku langsung ke situ sekarang, Ras. Kasih tau aku, kalian di rumah sakit mana. Aku udah di mobil ini," jelasku.Kututup telepon dengan kasar usai mendengar informasi dari Laras, lalu kulempar benda pipih itu ke jok samping. Namun baru saja aku berniat menghidupkan mesin mobil, mendadak pintu penumpang dibuka dari luar dan Dewi melompat masuk."Wi, ngapain?" Dahiku sampai mengernyit melihat tingkahnya. Sementara dia malah tersenyum-senyum aneh menatapku."Sekali lagi yuk, Mas," ajaknya dengan nada menggoda. Mataku langsung membelalak mendengar itu."Tapi Wi, aku …."I dumped all the evidence I had gathered onto the platform—proof that Roseline was the one behind the slander campaign, along with the filthy, disgraceful evidence of her affair with Sebastian.The public opinion flipped completely. I thought she would disappear without a trace out of shame.But I had underestimated her. Instead of retreating, she hired a lawyer and tried to claim a share of the inheritance."Even an illegitimate child has inheritance rights. Alexis Jones, I want 80% of Sebastian's assets. If you refuse, I'll take you to court indefinitely."I scoffed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "And if I have evidence that the child in your womb isn't Sebastian's, do you still think you stand a chance?"On the other end of the call, Roseline went completely silent. It took her a long moment to finally ask, "How do you know?""Sebastian is the reason he and I never had a child all these years. He had severe oligospermia. My first pregnancy failed because his sperm quality wa
I grabbed Gordon's phone and dialed for an ambulance frantically. My hands trembled as I pressed down on his bleeding abdomen, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...""Alexis, this isn't your fault. Don't cry." His lips were pale, yet he still tried to comfort me. "It's okay. It doesn't even hurt.""Come here, Honey!" Sebastian's voice was filled with menace as he ordered me, "I'm taking you home."I snapped. "Sebastian, are you deaf? Can't you just stay out of my life? Your existence disgusts me!"For the first time, I let my pure hatred for him show. "If anything happens to Gordon, I will never forgive you.""Honey, I…"His phone rang—it was the custom ringtone he had set for Roseline. He picked up impatiently. "Didn't I tell you not to call me unless it was important… What? What happened to the baby? Go to the hospital first. I'll be there soon."As he hung up, he bolted for the door. But before leaving, he still refused to give up. "Honey, I
"So you finally admit it." I laughed as tears streamed down my face.Back when Sebastian and I were struggling the most to build his business, I had been pregnant once. But life was hard—we often had to sleep on cold floors, and I had no money for proper prenatal care. In the end, I lost the baby.The doctor told me that it would be difficult for me to conceive again.I still remember how he had broken down in tears in front of me for the first time, soaking my shoulder with his remorse. He swore that he had failed me, that he hadn't protected me or our child. He promised that even if we never had children, he would love me just the same.Those vows still echoed in my ears, but the man standing before me now was a complete stranger.I roared in fury, "Get out! I don't ever want to see you again—except on the day we sign the divorce papers.""Not a chance."Seeing my unwavering stance, his eyes darkened with obsession and madness. He forcefully searched my body and pulled my room
After requesting an extended leave from my boss, I boarded a flight abroad.Of course, before leaving, I didn't forget to send Sebastian the divorce papers I had prepared long ago, along with the evidence of his affair that I had gathered.If he had any sense, he would sign them.If not, things would only get ugly in the end.This trip had no fixed destination—I just wanted to get away, see new places, taste new foods. Life had to go on. There was no need to punish myself for someone else's mistakes."Alexis."When I saw Gordon standing on a foreign street corner, I thought I was imagining things. "Gordon? What are you doing here? What a coincidence! We've run into each other again.""What if I told you this isn't a coincidence…" He looked at me with an open, direct gaze. "But a pursuit I've planned for a long time?""You…" I stood frozen in place."Do you remember how I answered when Sebastian asked me why I was suddenly back?" He took a step closer. "I told him that there wa






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